Families who tragically lost babies or had them harmed by Lucy Letby are expressing their approval of the commencement of a corporate manslaughter inquiry at the hospital where Letby committed these horrific acts. The Cheshire Constabulary has confirmed its investigation into the hospital's senior leadership and decision-making processes at the Countess of Chester Hospital (COCH) to ascertain if any criminal wrongdoing occurred.
This announcement has been met with appreciation by the parents of the infants who were targeted during Letby's employment at the hospital's neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016. One of the parents emphasized the importance of holding those responsible for institutional failures accountable, asserting that there should be no sanctuary for them.
Letby was previously convicted in August for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six others and subsequently received a whole-life order. She has recently lodged an appeal against her convictions.
Tamlin Bolton, a specialized medical negligence attorney and senior associate solicitor at Switalskis representing seven of the victims' families, expressed the significance of the police announcement, stating, "This is a momentous development. The families we represent have persistently urged an investigation into the senior management at COCH or their involvement in ongoing investigations. We find comfort in the fact that steps are now being taken to scrutinize management's actions from a criminal perspective."
The parents of twin babies, who were among those harmed by Letby, voiced their support for the ongoing investigation, highlighting the seriousness of the situation that has prompted police involvement. They expressed hope that senior management at the hospital trust would no longer have a refuge from accountability. They also called for justice to be pursued against anyone who enabled Letby's actions, expressing gratitude for the dedicated support provided by the police throughout this ordeal.
Detective Superintendent Simon Blackwell, the strategic lead for Operation Hummingbird, an ongoing investigation into Letby, provided insight into the scope of the inquiry. He specified that the investigation would concentrate on the period encompassing Letby's charges, spanning from June 2015 to June 2016. The focus would be on senior leadership and decision-making, with the aim of establishing whether any criminal activities transpired. Notably, the investigation does not currently involve individual inquiries related to gross negligence manslaughter.
In the preceding month, Letby was informed that she would face a retrial in the coming year for one charge of attempting to kill an infant girl in February 2016. The judge in the original trial, Mr. Justice Goss, provisionally scheduled the retrial for June 10, 2024. Letby's defense attorney, Ben Myers KC, informed the court that she continues to maintain her innocence throughout this process.